The Dragon's War (8 page)

“Come on out.”

A young wolf crawled from the underbrush, got to his feet, and shook the leaves from his coat. He trotted over to her, then fell into stride next to her. Raine welcomed his company.

“I thought I was going to hunt,” Raine said, “but I guess I’m not in the mood.”

The wolf was content just to lope at her side, and Raine again fell into silence. Her mood at the moment was contemplative, even a little gloomy, something that would have been evident to those around her, and she did not want her temperament to influence them. It was crucial that she appear as confident and cheerful as always.

But although she still felt confident, Raine was hardly cheerful. She felt an oppression, a great pressure, a darkness looming on the horizon like a deadly storm. It was the hand of fate that was coming down to crush her, or worse, pluck her up and carry her away.

Raine shook her head to clear it. “I need to stop thinking like that.”

The wolf glanced up at her quizzically, but continued to lope along. He stopped when Raine stopped, and although he did not sense what she sensed, he sat down on his haunches patiently.

“What is this?” she murmured.

It felt familiar, something she had met once before. She cocked her head to one side and now she could hear it. The low rumbling breath of something very large. The wolf, too, could hear it, and the hair on the back of his neck raised ever-so-slightly. He was not fearful, just wary, and he stood up and stepped forward when Raine did.

Raine pushed through the trees toward the low rumbling, and it grew louder as she neared. She could see the creature through the tangle of branches, the opal-white scales that glowed. She stepped into the clearing, and the deep blue eyes of the white dragon assessed her at length. They slid to her wolf companion.

“Fenrir’s children adore you,” the dragon said, “but he cannot help you.”

“I know that,” Raine said calmly. “Can you?”

The dragon was expressionless and her tone was impartial. “I cannot.”

“Then why are you here?” Raine demanded.

“To convince you to run. You and your dragon lover could find a place to hide.”

“Run away? And abandon the people of Arianthem to the Hyr’rok’kin?”

“They will abandon you.”

The words were chillingly matter-of-fact.

“I don’t believe that,” Raine said, “and even if it’s true, I don’t care. I won’t let the weakness of others dictate my path. I will make my own destiny.”

The dragon’s nostrils flared slightly as she took a deep breath. “Do you even know your destiny, the fourth line of the prophecy?”

“No,” Raine said angrily, “and I don’t care. It won’t make any difference.”

“And that is where you’re wrong, Scinterian.” For the first time, the dragon displayed emotion, and it was sadness mixed with regret. “I can assure you that Hel knows the final line.”

Raine stood silently, seething at the dragon’s words. “And why would Hel be interested in a prophecy supposedly about me? One in which all worlds are saved?”

The blue eyes gazed at her intently. “Because that prophecy was given to Hel. Eons ago, before you were ever born.”

This silenced Raine, for she had no response to words spoken with such authority. There was no question of their truth.

“Who are you?” Raine said at last.

“It doesn’t matter,” the white dragon said. And with those final words, the creature disappeared.

Raine was leaning against the railing waiting for Talan when she returned. The dragon took one look at her companion’s expression and wrapped her arms about her, hugging her tightly. She stood behind Raine, still embracing her.

“I saw the white dragon again,” Raine said.

“The dragon who is not a dragon?”

“Yes,” Raine replied, “I don’t know what she is. But she came to me again in the forest.”

“And what words of wisdom did she have for you this time?”

“They were hardly wise,” Raine said sarcastically. “She told us, as in you and me, to run and hide.”

“That does not necessarily sound unwise,” Talan commented.

“Do you want to run?” Raine said, turning to look over her shoulder.

“In a way, yes,” Talan admitted. “But I don’t think that will help. Hel will eventually find you. And while we delay the inevitable, she will punish Arianthem mercilessly.”

“Speaking of which, did you find Hyr’rok’kin?”

“Many. There are pockets springing up everywhere, which tells me that they are preparing for a massive assault.”

“How soon do you think it will happen?” Raine asked with concern.

“Not imminent,” Talan said, “but soon. We found the Hyr’rok’kin threat severe enough that Kylan has gone to scout the Empty Land to make sure they are not staging there.”

“Will she pass into the Veil?” Raine asked.

“I told her not to,” Talan said, “she will scout the periphery, then head north.”

Raine breathed a sigh of relief. The Empty Land was bordered by The Edge of the World, great cliffs that dropped into a veiled land of strangeness that separated the mortal realm from the Underworld. Horrible creatures inhabited that strange world, monstrosities that would be dangerous to even one such as Kylan.

Talan pulled Raine close and kissed her neck. “Neither of us can escape fate, but destiny will be what we make it.”

And for the moment, Raine felt save in her lover’s embrace.

Chapter 4

R
aine rose before dawn, leaving her lover still tangled in the sheets. She went out onto the terrace to watch the rising sun. The city was quiet, still recovering in slumber from the festivities that would shortly resume. One of the Queen’s attendants brought her a steaming cup of tea which she took gratefully. She leaned against the marble banister, enjoying the peaceful solitude.

Movement on the adjacent terrace caught her eye as Skye came out and struck a similar pose. Skye’s survey of her surroundings settled on Raine, and Raine motioned her over.

“You’re up early,” Raine commented as the attendant brought out a second cup of tea.

“Thank you,” Skye said to the lovely server, who nodded graciously and wordlessly disappeared. “So are you.”

Raine had dreamed of disturbing things, which had awakened her, but she did not share this with Skye. She had a feeling the young woman might have had her own disturbing dreams, and turned her head sideways to look at her.

“Something on your mind?”

Skye did not answer at first, then spoke quietly. “Ingrid is still out there.”

“I know.”

It was Skye’s turn to look sideways at Raine, wondering if Raine had sensed what she herself felt. Raine confirmed this.

“Idonea said the sorceress was casting a spell of binding upon you when she arrived. She was able to block it, but I wonder if the smallest part did not get through.”

Skye nodded in agreement. “I think that it did. I feel a faint connection to her, nothing as powerful as my connection to you, but something.”

“I feel it as well,” Raine said.

Skye grew even more troubled. She had not thought about it from that angle. Years ago, Raine had created a bond between them to save Skye’s life and keep her from passing into the Underworld. If Skye was connected to the sorceress, that meant Raine was, too.

Raine read her expression and shook her head. “The bond I created with you was physical; the one between you and Ingrid is magical. It cannot affect me. I’m more concerned that she can find you.”

“She found me easily enough before,” Skye said. “And it’s not as if she doesn’t know where I am. I’m not powerful enough to defeat her, not yet. So I’m going to have to find another way to deal with her.”

“It’s not as if you’ll have to deal with her alone.”

“I don’t want to keep endangering everyone around me because of her.”

“What is it she wants from you?” Raine asked.

Skye was thoughtful. “At first, I think she just wanted revenge on my great-grandfather. Now I feel that something has shifted. I know she enjoys having sex with me,” she added wryly.

Raine hid a smile. The young Tavinter spoke almost matter-of-factly, tossing out a phrase that she would have choked on a few years back. She was becoming more like the Ha’kan every day.

“And I think she drinks my blood,” Skye said.

“That’s how she stays young.”

“’Tis an odd beauty regimen,” Skye remarked. “But it works.”

Raine remained silent. If Skye sensed a shift in the sorceress, Raine sensed an interesting shift in Skye as well. The hazel-eyed beauty turned to her.

“You’ve known Ingrid for a long time, and had many run-ins with her. Is she evil?”

“Not exactly. She has the potential to do incredibly evil things because she is ruthless in getting what she wants. She is vain, narcissistic, and craves power. That said, she is not unnecessarily cruel, but coldly efficient. Except when it comes to getting back at Isleif. Then she is evil.”

“Did she kill my father?”

“No,” Raine said, shaking her head, “that was the Garmlain.”

Skye appeared relieved, and was silent for a moment. “What happened between her and Isleif?”

Raine sighed. “Ingrid was very much in love with Isleif, but I don’t know that he was in love with her. He had secretly pined for Tova, your great-grandmother, for years. When Tova’s husband died, Isleif ‘comforted’ your great-grandmother, and your grandfather, Isolde’s father, was the result of that affair.”

“Did Tova and Isleif stay together?”

“No,” Raine said. “Their affair was brief. Ingrid never knew it, but Tova broke Isleif’s heart as surely as he broke hers. When Tova realized she was with child, she was not certain if Isleif or her husband was the father, and to her it didn’t matter. She ignored the speculation and raised the boy, and soon the speculation died away. Isleif took to protecting the Tavinter from a distance, so I think he always believed the boy was his. When Isolde was born, he was certain. Her power was unmistakable.”

“So the power didn’t manifest in my grandfather, but it did in my mother.”

“Yes. And now it manifests in you,” Raine said.

Skye was quiet while her thoughts circled back to her original rumination. “So Isleif broke Ingrid’s heart.”

“Yes, undoubtedly. And he has regretted it his entire life. I think at first his regret was for the consequences, her quest for revenge, but as time passed, I think he genuinely regretted the pain he caused her.” Raine looked closely at Skye. “I know how compassionate you are, Skye, but don’t let that compassion blind you to how dangerous she is. Don’t underestimate her.”

“It’s not that,” Skye said, brushing her hair from her eyes. “I know more than anyone what she’s capable of. There just has to be a better way of dealing with her.”

Raine continued to examine Skye closely. “All right,” she said at last, “if you figure something out, I’ll support you.”

Chapter 5

N
ow as powerful as the invisibility spell is,” Idonea said to Skye, “it is a passive ability. We must add some attack skills to your repertoire.”

Today’s lessons were taking place in an inner courtyard, and were attended by Gimle, Kara, and Runa. Raine was also present, but she was sprawled beneath a tree some distance away, watching sleepily through half-closed eyes. The sunlight in the small courtyard made it pleasantly warm.

Skye was dubious. “Didn’t you say I should only use light magic?”

“Yes, and most destructive spells are dark magic, either full or in part. But there are a few that are purely light magic.”

Kara diligently wrote down this information. Although she herself would never be able to use it, its historical and academic value to the Ha’kan was unquestioned.

“Most destructive spells are very easy for me,” Idonea said. She raised her hand and cast a ball of flame at one of the straw dummies that had been placed for the lesson. It burst into flame. Before the fire could get out of control, she raised her other hand and cast a stream of pure ice. The dummy froze solid. She then swirled her hand in the air, brought a green smoky vortex to life, then thrust it toward the frozen dummy. It shattered.

“What was that last one?” Gimle asked, intrigued.

“A little something I learned from Y’arren,” Idonea said. “It’s more magic from the natural world than destructive, a kind of sonic tornado beyond our hearing. It uses sound to break things apart.”

“Fascinating.”

“If we are to keep your gift pure,” Idonea said, returning to Skye, “you can’t use any of these spells.”

“Darn,” Skye said, disappointed. The fire spell always impressed her, and that green vortex was fabulous.

“But there is a spell that can give you versions of all three of these things.”

“A single spell?”

“Yes, let me show you.”

Idonea held out her hand, palm up. Contrary to her usual practice, she exhibited great concentration. This caught Raine’s attention, for normally Idonea flung fire and ice around as if it were nothing; that meant the spell was difficult. Idonea placed her other hand a few inches above the first, palm down, as if she were holding an invisible ball. A sphere of white light appeared between her hands, glowing hypnotically.

“Come here,” Idonea said, and Skye obeyed. “Don’t touch the light, but put your hands close to it.”

“It’s cold,” Skye said in wonder.

“Yes,” Idonea replied, “and feel it now.”

“Now it’s hot!” Skye exclaimed.

“Yes, and feel it now.”

“It has a strange thrumming to it,” Skye said, “a vibration.”

“Exactly,” Idonea said, and she released the spell. The ball of light disappeared. “I won’t do much more with it because it is very difficult for me. But I think that you will do very well.”

“Better than you?” Skye said. “I doubt that.”

“This is another spell of pure light magic. One that plays to your particular strengths. Even if you were to take up dark magic, you would never match my ability. But Isleif believes that in light magic, you may be unsurpassed.”

“If you say so,” Skye said, trying hard to sound convinced.

“Just try it,” Idonea encouraged. “Hold your hands like this and think of holding a ball of light.”